World Cup: R16: Belgium vs. Japan, 7/2/2018

[Sol]

At the start of every game? It's Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes.

The end, my boy. But thanks nonetheless .

Gala - Freed from desire

It sounded better with the stadium echo thank you

 

[Sol]

Not sure if it's popular Europe-wide, but the whole "xxx is on fire, your defence is terrified nanana" is pretty catchy.

That's brilliant. Sounds better when the crowd sings it together.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

There's much in what you say, and as Belgium broke upfield to score the winner I was asking myself how on earth Japan could have been caught so thin at the back- that was flat out reckless.



Yet, that moment apart, I'm unsure how much cynicism could have helped them given that to all intents and purposes they not only didn't have a goalkeeper but couldn't counter Belgium's aerial threat. I think attack was a far wiser form of defence than inviting Belgium nearer their own end with the constant risk that either the keeper would cost them a goal or they'd be brutalised jumping for a high ball.

I missed the first half, but in the second I was impressed by how much Japan got out of what they had. Kagawa aside they possessed little real flair on the ball, but they moved and ran smartly enough to compensate. Perhaps they could have controlled the pace of the game better late on, but I'd say that's splitting hairs. The sense I had was that over an extra 30 minutes Belgium's physical advantage and superior star quality would have told, and I wonder whether maybe Japan at heart felt the same, throwing caution to the wind as a result.

They're the sort of team that once upon a time English journalists would have called 'valiant'. If nothing else, they did themselves justice- which is more than can be said of a number of supposedly more sophisticated outfits.

Vertonghen's goal reminded me a touch Uwe Seeler's header against England in 1970. If the BBC are to be believed, Belgium is the first team to overturn a 2-0 deficit to win a World Cup knockout tie since that famous game in Mexico.

Returning to this game, in the minutes preceding Vertonghen's header everything had been pointing to increased Belgian pressure bringing about a goal. But I suspect the manner in which they scored was decisive because it meant suddenly a team awash with attacking weapons and possessed of a clear tactical advantage was in the scoreboard without having done anything right.

Good on Belgium. Without the likes of Honda and Kawasaga, game would've been 5-0.

 

[Alex Jones]

Insane to think that this "golden" generation of Belgian Foootball was a fluke goal away of being knocked out of the WC by a Japanese team that qualified on Fair Play points.

Japan play better against teams that will open up and try and possess the ball. They are actually quite bad at breaking down the defense and struggle a lot against teams that try to counter them. They are very good at possessing the ball though, and if you try to play that game with them they will press you into mistakes and get their chances.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Japan play better against teams that will open up and try and possess the ball. They are actually quite bad at breaking down the defense and struggle a lot against teams that try to counter them. They are very good at possessing the ball though, and if you try to play that game with them they will press you into mistakes and get their chances.

Who's their coach?

 

[S E P H]

Belgium is so pathetic.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Belgium is so pathetic.

They played better than Japan did. Also, they didn't pass the ball in their zone for 45 minutes.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

If all teams played like Japan football would be amazing. Just a shame they haven’t got more individual quality.

Passing in their zone for 45 minutes just to get to Round of 16. I'm sure that's an enviable move.

 

[Havre]

Passing in their zone for 45 minutes just to get to Round of 16. I'm sure that's an enviable move.

If only they had a Son up front.......

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

If only they had a Son up front.......

So, you're in favour of how Japan stalled an entire half to get to the Round of 16? Cheap move, really.

 

[Havre]

I don't have a problem with it. If Senegal scores they have a problem. It's not a tactical risk free decision.

I would take 3 out of 4 games like Japan played every day over any other team in the WC. And I don't blame them for not being stupid in the 4th.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

I don't have a problem with it. If Senegal scores they have a problem. It's not a tactical risk free decision.

I would take 3 out of 4 games like Japan played every day over any other team in the WC. And I don't blame them for not being stupid in the 4th.

Such a tactic flies in the face of fair play. I think Japan shouldn't have played that way. It's definitely a shame they made to the Round of 16. I would also say this if the team that did it were not Japan.

 

[Havre]

I hear people say that, but I don't understand what it means.

It never really happens that a team is happy with losing 0-1 and that the opposition have little interest in making it 0-2. In my opinion people are reading far too much into those minutes. And as I said - if Senegal scores Japan look like fools.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

I hear people say that, but I don't understand what it means.

It never really happens that a team is happy with losing 0-1 and that the opposition have little interest in making it 0-2. In my opinion people are reading far too much into those minutes. And as I said - if Senegal scores Japan look like fools.

Senegal wants to advance to the Round of 16 as much as Japan does. The African nation played all of its three games fairly with equal opportunities to take ball possession. Fair play dictates Japan should have done the same to create fair results. You said, if Senegal scores, Japan will look like fools. Oh, I think Japan made a shameful move, then. It's seriously not a matter of losing 1-0 or 2-0. Japan was moving to the knockout stages, regardless.

 

[Havre]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Are you saying it didn't matter if Japan lost 0-1 or 0-2? If so you are wrong. Senegal would have gone through on goal difference if Japan loses 0-2.

I can only repeat what I have said earlier. It only occasionally happens in tournaments that two teams have little motivation for attacking (so hardly a big problem for football). I don't think attacking has anything to do with fair play. Why would it? "Fair play dictates....." is not an argument. It is just a statement basically similar to "I didn't like it so...."

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

I have no idea what you are talking about.

Are you saying it didn't matter if Japan lost 0-1 or 0-2? If so you are wrong. Senegal would have gone through on goal difference if Japan loses 0-2.

I can only repeat what I have said earlier. It only occasionally happens in tournaments that two teams have little motivation for attacking (so hardly a big problem for football). I don't think attacking has anything to do with fair play. Why would it? "Fair play dictates....." is not an argument. It is just a statement basically similar to "I didn't like it so...."

Personally, tamely passing the ball isn't as taxing as going out on offense, but it's a disrespect to players who have played to their fullest to make World Cup an entertaining sport. FIFA should take this matter seriously, but what do you know? They had players taking hormones play.

 

[Havre]

Yes. What do I know.

Senegal had every opportunity to score one more goal. Really don't see the problem. Senegal, due to lack of quality, didn't manage to - so they went out.

Please mention the last time a team is 1-0 up without any incentive to score playing against a team happy to lose 1-0. Might never have happened before and might never happen again. So I'm not sure if FIFA should care too much.

 

[Kalel]

As these sources state, the team and coach, and I am sure the fans were not happy with what happened to qualify. “The way I made them play was out of character (for the team)"

And to get back on topic of Belgium vs Japan, the vow to return to more character play led to a very enthralling match, where the critique is now the opposite, where in hindsight Japan should have made some earlier subs and play more conservatively while being up 2 in second half.

Nishino apologizes to players for tactics late in group-stage match against Poland | The Japan Times

Japan manager Akira Nishino admits his own negative tactics left him unhappy

Senegal wants to advance to the Round of 16 as much as Japan does. The African nation played all of its three games fairly with equal opportunities to take ball possession. Fair play dictates Japan should have done the same to create fair results. You said, if Senegal scores, Japan will look like fools. Oh, I think Japan made a shameful move, then. It's seriously not a matter of losing 1-0 or 2-0. Japan was moving to the knockout stages, regardless.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Yes. What do I know.

Senegal had every opportunity to score one more goal. Really don't see the problem. Senegal, due to lack of quality, didn't manage to - so they went out.

Please mention the last time a team is 1-0 up without any incentive to score playing against a team happy to lose 1-0. Might never have happened before and might never happen again. So I'm not sure if FIFA should care too much.

That's pretty much your opinion, though. Who knows if Poland had the incentive to score more? And, of course, if this kind of act gets overlooked, there can be more teams using this tactic.

 

[Havre]

Who knows if Poland had any incentives? Everyone?

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Japan was clearly manipulating the result of the match against Poland and should be penalized in one form or another. They lost, but their interest was on advancing to the Round of 16, knowing that Senegal is behind them. And adding a stupid speculation that Poland had no incentive to win is, I repeat, pretty stupid.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

As these sources state, the team and coach, and I am sure the fans were not happy with what happened to qualify. “The way I made them play was out of character (for the team)"

And to get back on topic of Belgium vs Japan, the vow to return to more character play led to a very enthralling match, where the critique is now the opposite, where in hindsight Japan should have made some earlier subs and play more conservatively while being up 2 in second half.

Nishino apologizes to players for tactics late in group-stage match against Poland | The Japan Times

Japan manager Akira Nishino admits his own negative tactics left him unhappy

Honestly, they can regret and apologize all day, knowing that their team advances, regardless of those actions.

 

[Eisen]

Insane to think that this "golden" generation of Belgian Foootball was a fluke goal away of being knocked out of the WC by a Japanese team that qualified on Fair Play points.

Their first goal was pretty fluky.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Their first goal was pretty fluky.

Fault of the Japanese goalie, too. Goalkeepers like Lloris, Jo, and Courtois would've saved that easily.

 

[Eisen]

Fault of the Japanese goalie, too. Goalkeepers like Lloris, Jo, and Courtois would've saved that easily.

any normal goalie would have.